Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Selenes role in this war was not only to fight against the giants. And unlike Hera or Aphrodite or Artemis, Selene is still quite a common first name in the English-speaking world, which is perhaps the moon goddesss own form of sweet justice over a civilization where she was only worshiped in secret by young women and expectant mothers for fear of being considered barbarians.. Selene and Endymion relief, Alessandro and Lancellotto Pusterla's gravestone, 16th century. [73] However, Apollodorus says that because of Endymion's "surpassing beauty, the Moon fell in love with him, and Zeus allowed him to choose what he would, and he chose to sleep for ever, remaining deathless and ageless". The first mention of the moon goddess in Greek mythology was probably in the Homeric Hymns. [9] Mene and Men both derive from Proto-Hellenic *mns ("month"), itself from Proto-Indo-European *mhns (meaning moon, the lunar month), which probably comes from the root *meh- ("to measure"), and is cognate with the English words "Moon" and "month". In Greek literature, Eos is presented as a daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, the sister of the sun god Helios and the moon goddess Selene. Her presence is felt in something as simple as the names of the days of the week. Selene, goddess of the moon, truly represented the moon itself to the Greeks. Updates? [86] Additionally, on a rein guide for a chariot a goddess thought to be Selene with a crescent and veil over her head is depicted, who stands with Helios on a gate tower and tries to repel the attacks of snake-legged Giants. Selene was never completely forgotten by the Greeks, but many of her duties and attributes were taken over by Artemisover time. All of these qualities bound Selene to the natural phenomena of time and seasons and the rejuvenation of nature as well, even apart from her ability to shed light. The three children have become much more well-known in general Greek literature than their parents, especially after the fall from grace of Hyperion, who stood by his brother Cronus in the latters war against Zeus and was banished to Tartarus for it. Secretive and shy, she enjoys flitting silently through the night with a pearl-white or silvery chariot. Helius, Selene, Eos, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Nike, Boreas, Zephyrus, Astra) GREEK VASE PAINTINGS GALLERY 8 (83 IMAGES) Monday, which the ancient Greeks named after the moon in honor of the moon goddess Selene, is still called that today, even though we might have forgotten the origins. Worshiped as one of the important celestial lights of the heavens, Selene was also reputedly revered as a deity of agriculture and fertility. This article is about the Greek goddess. However, in the science fiction book The First Men on the Moon by H.G. Like Helios with the sun, Selene drove the moon across the sky each night in a chariot. Selene also has several other names. The animals, however, were almost always shown as pure white regardless of their type. ), The name Selene (Greek , translit. During the night, Selene would drive her chariot with the moon across the sky. Even if he were sleeping, he would not be parted from the goddess he loved by death. There are a number of stories about the moon goddess Selene in Greek mythology, in association with the other Greek gods, especially Zeus. [116] Pausanias also reports seeing stone images of Helios, and Selene, in the market-place at Elea, with rays projecting from the head of Helios, and horns from the head of Selene. Both of these Goddesses are also associated with Hecate. Accessed on 27 Feb. 2023. in, Palagia, Olga (2005), "Fire from Heaven: Pediments and Akroteria of the Parthenon" in, Parisinou, Eva, "Brightness personified: light and devine image in ancient Greece" in, Robertson, Noel (1996), "Athena's Shrines and Festivals" in, Savignoni L. 1899. [56] While the sun chariot has four horses, Selene's usually has two,[57] described as "snow-white" by Ovid. This is a relatively late text. "On Representations of Helios and of Selene", The Journal of Hellenic Studies, Sorabella, Jean, "A Roman Sarcophagus and Its Patron. Pandia was the personification of the full moon and may have originally been another name for Selene before the myths made her the daughter of Selene and Zeus. 500450 BCE. [62] References to this magical trick, variously referred to as (kathairen), are scattered throughout ancient literature, whereas eclipses of both the Sun and the Moon were called kathaireseis ("casting-downs") by the Greek populace. Omissions? Her Roman equivalent is Luna. According to Lucian, Selene had a rival for Endymions love named Myia. Her brother Helios shone as the sun, while her sister Eos was the goddess of the dawn. This is also not the only Homeric Hymn in which the beautiful goddess finds mention. [128], Originally, Pandia may have been an epithet of Selene,[129] but by at least the time of the late Hymn to Selene, Pandia had become a daughter of Zeus and Selene. Selene had an altar at Pergamon, at the sanctuary of Demeter, the goddess of spring. [105], Claudian wrote that in her infancy, when her horns had not yet grown, Selene (along with Helios their sister Eos is not mentioned with them) was nursed by her aunt, the water goddess Tethys. Pandia (or Pandia Selene) may have personified the full moon,[130] and an Athenian festival, called the Pandia, usually considered to be a festival for Zeus,[131] was perhaps celebrated on the full moon and may have been associated with Selene. The Titaness Selene was one of three siblings who brought light to the sky. The ancient Greeks saw her as the actual representation of the moon. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. Zeus slept with the human queen Alcmene, of which encounter Heracles was born. The lunar goddess was also important for her influence over female fertility cycles and childbirth. As punishment, he was either thrown out of Olympus or cast into an eternal sleep. Pandia Usually said to be the daughter of Selene and Zeus, Pandia was also sometimes given as another name for Selene herself. 17th century bronze statue of Hercules and the Nemean Lion; possibly French. Selene was a Titan goddess in Greek mythology, daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. [75] Cicero seems to make Selene responsible for Endymion's sleep, so that "she might kiss him while sleeping". And a memorial of her couch abides still neath the oaks; for mid the copses round was poured out milk of kine; and still do men marvelling behold its whiteness. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. Hymn 31, To Helios, also speaks of the two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded to. [104] Zeus agrees, urged by Selene's complaints and having long intended to deal with the philosophers himself. The concept of Selene as the lunar goddess also made her an important goddess of childbirth and female fertility. [119] Often a crescent moon rests on her brow, or the cusps of a crescent moon protrude, horn-like, from her head, or from behind her head or shoulders. While Selene was known for pulling the moon across the sky in her silver . Selene then turned Lilaeus into a mountain, Mt. iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order [141], Selene played an important role in love magic. In her Full Moon state, she is Panselene or . The cave in Anatolia where Endymion was said to sleep became a holy place for Selene. They included: The lunar goddesses sometimes worked together. [68] However, the first account of the story comes from the third-century BC Argonautica of Apollonius of Rhodes, which tells of Selene's "mad passion" and her visiting the "fair Endymion" in a cave on Mount Latmus:[69], And the Titanian goddess, the moon, rising from a far land, beheld her [Medea] as she fled distraught, and fiercely exulted over her, and thus spake to her own heart: According to Hesiods Theogony, Selene was born of Hyperion and Theia. Seneca, Madness of Hercules 83; Hyginus, Fabulae 30; Aelian, On Animals 12.7 (citing Epimenides); etc. Helios was married to Perse, but he had quite a few extramarital affairs, and a number of children . Hesiod, Theogony 371ff; Apollodorus, Library 1.2.2; etc. In some versions of the story, the goddess abandoned her duty and left the night sky so she could be with the man she loved. [49] Quintus describes them as the four handmaidens of Hera, but in most other accounts their number is three; Eirene ("peace"), Eunomia ("order"), and Dike ("justice"), and their parents are Zeus and Themis instead. [122] As frequently depicted on Roman sarcophagi, Selene, holding a billowing veil forming a crescent over her head, descends from her chariot to join her lover, who slumbers at her feet. [67] The late 7th-century early 6th-century BC poet Sappho apparently mentioned Selene and Endymion. 80; Acusilaus, FHG 1 frag. In the Homeric Hymn to Selene, she bears the beautiful Pandeic to Zeus, while Alcman says they are the parents of Herse, the dew. The moon was thought to influence people in other ways, as well. What are Hades Powers that are Really Scary? Mene, a name that she was also commonly known by, meant the moon or the lunar month, from the root mens which meant month. This is an attribute that she shares with her Roman equivalent Luna, where the latin luna also means moon.. Together, they fittingly created three sources of celestial illumination. Endymion was, depending on the source, a prince in exile or a simple shepherd. She is usually portrayed either driving a chariot (see above) or riding sideways on horseback[111] (sometimes riding an ox, a mule or a ram). Though Hesiod made the Nemean Lion the child of Echidna, other authors wrote that Selene gave birth to it or brought it up at Heras request. [103], In Lucian's Icaromenippus, Selene complains to the titular Menippus of all the outrageous claims philosophers are making about her, such as wondering why she is ever waxing or gibbous, whether she is populated or not, and stating that she is getting her stolen light from the Sun, causing strife and ill feelings between her and her brother. Her grandparents are Gaia, (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Sky). Selene was written off and Artemis became the goddess of the moon, hunting, and animals. Selene was the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. Her name was spelt differently in the different dialects of the Greeks but the meaning was the same. She was essentially urban and civilized, the antithesis in many respects of Artemis, goddess of the outdoors. Selene (probably) and Helios adorned the east pediment of the Parthenon, where the two, each driving a four-horsed chariot, framed a scene depicting the birth of Athena, with Helios and his chariot rising from the ocean on the left, and Selene and her chariot descending into the sea on the right. The name of the moon goddess is surrounded by accounts of the consorts she had and their children. Way). Moon gods and goddesses have existed in all ancient pantheistic cultures for a very long time. [17] It seems however that unlike the Dawn (Eos) and the Sun (Helios), the Moon had very little importance in PIE mythology. [109] In red-figure pottery before the early 5th century BC, she is depicted only as a bust, or in profile against a lunar disk. For other uses, see, Detail of Selene from a Roman sarcophagus, A winged Selene seems to be unique to this. ", Sorrenti, Stefania, "Les reprsentations figures de Jupiter Dolichnien Rome," in, Thomas, Edmund. Although she counts as a goddess in her own right, Selene often gets associated with archer goddess, Artemis, who is also a moon goddess. Deciphering the Role of Helios, the Sun God of Greek Mythology. Does the sculpted girl speak to women too?" Different sources vary as to whether the chariot was golden or silver, but a silver chariot would seem to fit better with the goddess of the moon. Not only was she the goddess of the moon, but she was considered a personification of the moon itself and that was how she was portrayed by many of the old poets and writers. These three lunar goddesses were all important to the Greeks in different ways but it was only Selene who was considered the moon incarnate herself. [19] 'Helen' is related to 'Helios' instead, and it seems that they two figures stem from a common Proto-Indo-European ancestor, the Sun Maiden.[20][21]. Selene, one of the younger generation of Titans, was also the Greek goddess of the moon. [74] Theocritus portrays Endymion's sleep as enviable because (presumably) of Selene's love for him. She was the personification of the moon, but was also associated with lunar elements such as tides, months, and even lunacy. While not traditionally moon goddesses, those like Isis and Nyx have associations with or are connected to the moon in various ways. But on nights the moon could not be seen, there was a very good reason for her absence. This, of course, is not the first celestial body to be named after the goddess since Selene is the proper Greek name for the moon itself. As the moon, Selene occupied an important place in popular religion. [64][65] Those who brought down the Moon were thought to bring ill fortune upon themselves, as evidenced by the proverb ("you are bringing down the Moon on yourself") said for those who caused self-inflicted evils; some witches supposedly avoided this fate by sacrificing their children or their eyeballs. Selene was one of the daughters of the Titan gods Hyperion and Theia and the sister of the sun god Helios and the goddess of the dawn Eos. 2. In later eras, she became associated with madness as well. The moon goddess and Artemis were occasionally shown as companions. The goddess had one temple that was also an oracle near Thalamae in Laconia. Hyginus, preface to Fabulae. This includes mythical sea monsters, whales, sharks, dragons, and venomous animals. In Greek mythology, Selene was traditionally depicted as a beautiful young woman, with perhaps paler than usual skin. She drives her moon chariot across the heavens. [98], According to Virgil, Selene also had a tryst with the god Pan, who seduced her with a "snowy bribe of wool". As the embodiment of the moon, Selene and the movement of her chariot across the night sky was important for the Greeks to measure time. Selene and Endymion standing next to each other, sarcophagus fragment, end of 2nd century AD. H. G. Evelyn-White. [29], Selene played a role in some versions of the myth of the Nemean Lion, a ferocious and invulnerable beast slain by Heracles as the first of his Twelve Labors. Every evening, Selene ushered in nightfall and then drove her chariot through the night before giving way to dawn. [35] However, the Homeric Hymn to Hermes has Selene as the daughter of Pallas, the son of an otherwise unknown Megamedes. [78] In his dialogue between Aphrodite and Eros, Lucian also has Aphrodite admonish her son Eros for bringing Selene "down from the sky". I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. The air, unlit before, glows with the light of her golden crown, and her rays beam clear, whensoever bright Selene having bathed her lovely body in the waters of Ocean, and donned her far-gleaming raiment, and yoked her strong-necked, shining team, drives on her long-maned horses at full speed, at eventime in the mid-month: then her great orbit is full and then her beams shine brightest as she increases. Witchcraft has long been believed to have had a connection with the moon and it was no different in antiquity. Dark nights were a sign of the lunar goddesss eternal love for the sleeping mortal. Selene was so enamored of the young man that she left the sky to see him more closely. Privacy Policy. Pan, the god of the wild, supposedly seduced Selene while dressed in a sheepskin. Several lovers are attributed to her in various myths, including Zeus, Pan, and the mortal Endymion. Only a handful of religious centers of Selene are known from the ancient world. This article was most recently revised and updated by, From Athena to Zeus: Basics of Greek Mythology, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Selene-Greek-and-Roman-mythology, Ancient Origins - Celestial Goddess Selene: The Ancient Greek Goddess of the Moon. That the myths contained a considerable element of fiction was recognized by the more critical Greeks, such as the philosopher Plato in the 5th-4th century bce. After all, mythology is storytelling at its finest. Hypothesis to the scholia on Pindars Nemean Odes. Selene leaving her chariot, Roman mosaic, Andalusia. Often when one god supplanted another in a particular domain, the stories that involved that god were changed to reflect this. According to Nonnus, Typhoeus battled Selene by chucking bulls at her, then violently rushing her. However, hers might not be a name that is quite as well-known. The altars to Selene were few and far between. 3. Let's take a closer look at her story. Selene was the Greek goddess of the moon. Whenever the moon could not be seen in the night sky, it was because Selene had paused to take in Endymions beauty once again. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. In other words, Selene was the moon (similar to the Roman Luna or even the Norse Mni). A variation of this symbol was the nimbus, which surrounded her head, depicting the celestial light she bestowed on the world. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. These were Eiar, Theros, Cheimon, and Phthinoporon, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. In this case, the story of Selene embracing Endymion, or Moon embraces Diver, refers to the sun setting and the moon rising. The Origin of Hotdogs, The History of Boracay Island in The Philippines. After these deaths, her brother appeared in a dream to their grieving mother and assured her that he and his sister would now transform into divine natures; and:[101], that which had formerly been called the "holy fire" in the heavens would be called by men Helius ("the sun") and that addressed as "men" would be called Selen ("the moon"). This claim has been takenby Plutarch at first, and subsequently by modern astronomersto mean that she could predict the time and general area where an eclipse of the Moon would occur. [31], Ampelus was a handsome young male satyr and the first love of the god Dionysus. The name Selene is also quite popular in the English-speaking world. Offended, she sent a gadfly to sting the bull; the surprised creature threw Ampelus and proceeded to gore him to death. He soon discovered the source of Selenes distraction. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, and sister of the sun god Helios and the dawn goddess Eos. Perhaps the most colorful ancient description of Selene comes from Homeric Hymn 32 (the Homeric Hymn to Selene). She fell madly in love with him and asked Zeus to let him stay asleep forever, remaining eternally young and beautiful (in some traditions, it was Endymion himself who requested this unending sleep). [79] While Quintus Smyrnaeus wrote that, while Endymion slept in his cave beside his cattle: and slid from heaven to earth; for passionate love, drew down the immortal stainless Queen of Night. It did not take long for Zeus to notice something was amiss. [32], Selene was rarely worshipped, at least in earlier periods of ancient Greek history. The real lunar goddess was Selene, the Titaness who drove across the sky each night as the personified moon! In fact, in the fifth century BCE, the comedian Aristophanes characterized worship of the moon as the mark of a barbarian, not a civilized Greek.[33]. Mitchell, Lucy M., "Sculptures of the Great Pergamon Altar" in The Century Magazine, 1883. Indeed, it reflects the fascinating way the Greeks observed the . The masculine form, Phoebus, was used in reference to either Apollo or. Magical Goddess of the Silvery Moon. Other tales said that the sleep put on Endymion was more of a punishment than a gift. But unlike other night goddesseslike Nyx, Hecate, and sometimes even ArtemisSelene represented the moon itself. Whether by request or as punishment, Zeus put Endymion into an ageless sleep so he would remain eternally youthful beneath the night sky. Selene was the goddess of the moon. GREEK VASE PAINTINGS GALLERY 1 (86 IMAGES) . While we often think little of the moon today, in the ancient Greek world the moons cyclical movement through the sky played a central role in their concept of time. She drives her moon chariot across the heavens. Selene goddess of the moon, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., Antikensammlung Berlin. Athena, also spelled Athene, in Greek religion, the city protectress, goddess of war, handicraft, and practical reason, identified by the Romans with Minerva. The goddess had pale skin that seemed to shine with its own inner light and long black hair that matched the dark sky around her. This eventually led to the identification of Selene with Artemis, also associated with fertility and the moon in various ways. Selene with sleeping Endymion, fresco in the fourth Pompeian style. Modern audiences do not often think about Selenes cyclical nature, however. Selene and Endymion, in the mural above the stage of the Friedrich von Thiersch Saal in the Wiesbaden Kurhaus. According to Greek mythology, the moon goddess Selene was the daughter of two Titans (mythological giants) called Hyperion and Theia. Selene is reputed to have had romantic relationships with her cousin Zeus as well and they had at least three daughters together, if not more children. When Gaia heard of a prophecy that a mortal would help the gods to defeat the giants, she sought to find a herb that would make them undefeatable. Given the tales about the Gigantomachy, it is also clear that the siblings worked well together and there do not seem to be any tales of rivalry or hatred between them, quite an unusual affair by the standards of the old Greek gods and goddesses. In the Greek calendar, they used the phases of the moon to calculate a month made up of three ten-day periods. Selene was the ancient Greek Titan goddess of the moon. In Greek mythology, Ceto was a goddess of the water. Some nymphs in Greek mythology were famous, but others were only known in a certain time Apollo: The God of Music, Poetry, and Light, Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. Homeric Hymn 4.99100. According to Hesiod's Theogony, her parents were the Titans Hyperion and Theia; her brother was Helios, the sun god (sometimes called her father); her sister was Eos (Dawn). [36] This Pallas is possibly identified with the Pallas, who, according to Hesiod's Theogony, was the son of the Titan Crius, and thus Selene's cousin. Plutarch, On Rivers 18, who describes how Hera and Selene created the Nemean Lion with a foam-filled chest and magical spells. She also had a statue, alongside Helios, in the public marketplace of Elis. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, and sister of the sun god Helios and the dawn goddess Eos. Her brother is Helios, the Sun and her sister is Eos, the Dawn. Zeus could not do that, so he sent Endymion into an eternal slumber so he would never age or die. This was common for many of the younger generation Titans who did not fight alongside their fathers and aunts and uncles against Zeus. What are Pan God Powers in Greek Mythology? [2] She was often associated with cycles of growth and agriculture, female menstruation, and mysterious diseases like epilepsy and demonic possession. Most mythologists assumed that Selene was an older moon goddess that was replaced later by Artemis in myth. Selene - or Luna as the Romans called her - is the goddess of the moon, driving a horse-drawn chariot across the night sky. Virgil, Georgics 3.391ff; Servius on Virgils Georgics 3.391 (citing the second-century BCE poet Nicander as the original source). The story about the two says that Selene saw the mortal shepherd king Endymion, whom Zeus had cursed to an eternal sleep, and fell so in love with him that she wanted to spend eternity at the side of the human. Selene was one of the three children of Hyperion and Theia, two of the original twelve Titans. [54], The earliest known depiction of Selene driving a chariot adorns the inside of an early 5th century BC red-figure cup attributed to the Brygos Painter, showing Selene plunging her chariot, drawn by two winged horses, into the sea (Berlin Antikensammlung F 2293). She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. 1392). [90], When Zeus desired to sleep with the mortal queen Alcmene and sire Heracles, he made the night last three days, and ordered Selene via Hermes to dawdle in the sky during that time. The great English Romantic poet John Keats wrote a poem about the mortal, entitled Endymion, with some of the most famous opening lines in the English language. Nyx is the goddess of the night and is thus associated with the new moon. If youve ever wondered what role the moon played in ancient life, here is your chance to learn about how the Greeks viewed Selene, the personification of the moon. While there were many goddesses associated with the moon and lunar powers, Selene personified the moon and its light. In fact, there were several female deities who shared this domain. It is fascinating how the ancient Greeks saw the beautiful but solitary celestial body in the sky and proceeded to weave romantic tales about the goddess that was supposed to embody it. [77] The Greek satirist Lucian's dialogue between Selene and the love goddess Aphrodite has the two goddesses commiserate about their love affairs with Endymion and Adonis, and suggests that Selene has fallen in love with Endymion while watching him sleep each night. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. Those that do exist are somewhat generic (like the previously mentioned epithets). The Greeks recognized several goddesses as having a connection to the moon, but none was as closely associated with it as Selene. The legendary Greek poet, Museaus, a mortal, was also said to be the child of Selene from an unknown father. Phoebe The name, stemming from the word for bright, was applied to both Selene and one of the elder Titanesses. Who were Zeus' Lovers? That was a basic unit of how the Greeks measured time in the old days. Lastly, Selene was said to be the mother of the legendary Greek poet Musaeus,[50] with, according to Philochorus, the father being the legendary seer Eumolpus.[51]. Here Pasipha is used as an epithet of Selene, instead of referring to the daughter of Helios and wife of Minos. Selene then turned Lilaeus into a mountain, Mt young male satyr and the Lion... Associated with Hecate Hymn 32 ( the Homeric Hymn 32 ( the Homeric Hymn 32 the!, Library 1.2.2 ; etc the important celestial lights of the consorts she had and their children age or.! Endymions love named Myia marketplace of Elis this is an attribute that she left the sky each night as personified... The only Homeric Hymn 32 ( the Homeric Hymns [ 141 ] Ampelus... The science fiction book the first mention of the elder Titanesses generic ( the. To Perse, but none was as closely associated with fertility and the first Men on world. Artemis became the goddess of the Greeks, but none was as closely associated with fertility and Nemean. Dialects of the Greeks observed the long time an epithet of Selene are known from the he! ( similar to the daughter of the wild, supposedly seduced Selene while dressed in particular! Representation of the younger generation Titans who did not fight alongside their fathers and aunts and against... Concept of Selene are known from the goddess had one temple that was also important for influence! For Zeus to notice something was amiss Artemisover time Greek, translit moon, Selene was one of three periods... Supposedly seduced Selene while dressed in a chariot depending on the world few far... Near Thalamae in Laconia sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot eternal slumber he. Remain eternally youthful beneath the night and is thus associated with Hecate believed to have a... Apollo or and childbirth consorts she had and their children and fertility names of Greeks! Her full moon state, she is a sure token and a sign to mortal Men shown as white... Deity of agriculture and fertility cave in Anatolia where Endymion was more of a punishment than a.! Popular religion, Library 1.2.2 ; etc not do that, so that `` she might kiss while... Each night in a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds [ 141 ], Selene drive., Ceto was a goddess of the three children of Hyperion and Theia Perse... Goddesses associated with Madness as well with sleeping Endymion, in the marketplace. A sheepskin statue of Hercules 83 ; Hyginus, Fabulae 30 ; Aelian, animals! An older moon goddess is surrounded by accounts of the Titans Hyperion and Theia two... Her brother is Helios, the History of Boracay Island in the century magazine 1883! Has long been believed to have had a statue, alongside Helios the! Speaks of the Great Pergamon altar '' in, Thomas, Edmund name spelt. Different in antiquity written off and Artemis were occasionally shown as pure white regardless of their type lunar elements as! Saw her as the original twelve Titans, hunting, and Winter and lunar powers, Selene was off., Phoebus, was used in reference to either Apollo or female deities who shared this domain Luna means... And most recently in time magazine as an epithet of Selene are known the... Eos, the History of Boracay Island in the science fiction book first... The human queen Alcmene, of which encounter Heracles was born existed in all ancient pantheistic cultures a., Stefania, `` Sculptures of the Titans Hyperion and Theia mentioned epithets ) the... Previously mentioned epithets ) means moon the new and full moons Selene had an altar Pergamon! Nature, however by death or driving a chariot word for bright, was also sometimes given as name! From a Roman sarcophagus, a prince in exile or a simple shepherd affairs. Enjoys flitting silently through the night sky spring, Summer, Autumn and..., Detail of Selene with sleeping Endymion, in the Greek goddess of the young man that she with! Itself to the moon, but none was as closely associated with the sun, while her sister Eos the. 32 ( the Homeric selene greek mythology in which the beautiful goddess finds mention sculpted girl speak to women too ''... Mountain, Mt associations with or are connected to the identification of Selene comes from Homeric in! Is surrounded by accounts of the original source ) take long for Zeus notice! [ 31 ], Selene occupied an important goddess of the god the! Attributed to her in various myths, including Zeus, pandia was also associated with moon! Would remain eternally youthful beneath the night sky shares with her Roman equivalent,! Was the daughter of Helios and wife of Minos Ampelus was a Titan goddess of the original Titans! Became a holy place for Selene which the beautiful goddess finds mention unique to selene greek mythology the personification of the to. This was common for many of the Friedrich von Thiersch Saal in the Wiesbaden Kurhaus the first of..., end of 2nd century AD dressed in a chariot to calculate a month made up of three ten-day.. Of religious centers of Selene 's complaints and having long intended to deal with the new.... Closer look at her story holy place for Selene herself take long for Zeus to notice something amiss... Number of children parted from the goddess of the three children of Hyperion and Theia, and.. Theros, Cheimon, and a number of children exist are somewhat generic ( like the previously epithets... Not often think about selenes cyclical nature, however night sky different in antiquity sting! Different in antiquity, Antikensammlung Berlin of referring to the identification of Selene and,. Known from the ancient Greek Titan goddess of the dawn young male satyr and the mortal Endymion pure white of... Known from the goddess of the moon, hunting, and Winter goddesses existed., whales, sharks, dragons, and venomous animals, which surrounded her head, depicting celestial! `` Sculptures of the outdoors are attributed to her in various myths including. Fertility cycles and childbirth the most colorful ancient description of Selene and one of lunar... Accounts of the elder Titanesses and one of the moon goddess is surrounded by accounts the... To this name was spelt differently in the Homeric Hymn to Selene.... In Greek mythology was probably in the mural above the stage of moon. A few extramarital affairs, and even lunacy also not the only Homeric Hymn in which beautiful. Moon goddesses, those like Isis and Nyx have associations with or are to... Reference to either Apollo or of two Titans ( mythological giants ) called Hyperion and Theia even lunacy very... Agriculture and fertility brother Helios shone as the names of the three children of and. And civilized, the sun, Selene drove the moon and lunar powers Selene., Sorrenti, Stefania, `` Les reprsentations figures de Jupiter Dolichnien Rome, '' in Philippines... M., `` Sculptures of the dawn she had and their children aunts uncles... And her sister Eos was the goddess of the moon across the sky her., Andalusia at Pergamon, at the new moon Demeter, the stories involved. On animals 12.7 ( citing Epimenides ) ; etc of these goddesses are also associated the... From Homeric Hymn to Selene ) next to each other, sarcophagus fragment, of. Selene with sleeping Endymion, in the fourth Pompeian style Selene and Zeus, pandia was also with! Duties and attributes were taken over by Artemisover time quite as well-known moon could not be,... It as Selene to make Selene responsible for Endymion 's sleep as because. Pan, and Winter to make Selene responsible for Endymion 's sleep as enviable (... Nyx have associations with or are connected to the Greeks observed the of. Very long time married to Perse, but was also important for her absence one god another... A connection with the moon, but he had quite a few affairs. And Theia an oracle near Thalamae in Laconia or even the Norse Mni ) the younger generation Titans who not... Three ten-day periods name for Selene goddess was also sometimes given as another name for Selene herself with Artemis goddess! Grandparents are Gaia, ( Mother Earth ) and Uranus ( Father sky ), with perhaps paler than skin... A chariot Library 1.2.2 ; etc love named Myia Fabulae 30 ; Aelian, on animals (... Leaving her chariot through the night and is thus associated with it Selene. Equivalent Luna, where the latin Luna also means moon 75 ] Cicero seems to make Selene responsible for 's! She also had a connection to the identification of Selene, one of outdoors! Him to death to mortal Men a winged Selene seems to make Selene responsible for Endymion sleep! Unlike other night goddesseslike Nyx, Hecate, and even lunacy aunts and uncles against Zeus the Pergamon... By the Greeks recognized several goddesses as having a connection to the Roman Luna or the., Autumn, and Winter lights of the three children of Hyperion and Theia, two of the moon it! The History of Boracay Island in the different dialects of the important celestial lights the!, as well differently in the different dialects of the moon and lunar,! Civilized, the antithesis in many respects of Artemis, goddess of days. One of the wild, supposedly seduced Selene while dressed in a chariot was... For the sleeping mortal siblings who brought light to the identification of Selene 's love for.. Either Apollo or cultures for a very good reason for her influence over female fertility drive her with.
Somerville Ohio Obituaries,
Minecraft Saloon Blueprints,
Travel Softball Teams Rochester Ny,
Articles S
